Clutch



Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES f i i f 1,548,035

PATENT OFFICE.

LESLIE 1. GREEN, OF CHICAGO, ITLLIN'OIS.v l

CLUTCH. l

Original application led December 30, 19,22, Serial No. 609,817.`Divided and this application filed November 26, 1923. Serial No.677,142.

T0 all whom t mayiconcem:

Be it known that I, LESLIE P. GREEN, a

citizen of the United States, and a residentv of the city of Chicago,county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Clutches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in clutches and has for itsprincipal object the provision of an improved construction of thischaracter Vwhich is highly eiiicient in use, the present applicationbeing a division of my .prior application, filed December 30, 1922,Serial No. 609,817.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a clutch mechanism embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken online 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

The preferred form of construction as i1- lustrated in the drawingscomprises a clutch member 27 loosely mounted on a shaft 8. The clutchmember 27 may be a pulley or other member to be driven and the shaft maybe any driven shaft such as a drive shaft of an automobile, the clutchmechanism disclosed being arranged to either connect or release themember 27 from the shaft 8 as will be readily understood by thoseskilled in this art. The clutch member 27 carries a bar or bracket 28loose on shaft 8. A cylinder 29 is formed on the bracket 28 andpassageways 30 conneet the opposite ends of said cylinder` as shown, theopposite ends of the cylinder being otherwise closed. Valves 31 arearranged in the passageways' 30 and are operated by valve stems orshafts 32 carrying crank arms 33 having rollers 34 running in an annularchannel member 23. An operating bar 24 is connected with the channelmember 23 and by means of which said valves may be Vsimultaneouslyadjusted to stop or regulate the flow of oil through the passageways 30while the parts are in operation. Apiston 35 operates in the cylinder 29and is connected by a rod 36 with a pin 37 mounted on an eccentric strapmember 38 operating on an eccentric 39 fixed to theshaft 8. l

In operation the cylinder 29 and connecting passages 30 are filled withoil. When the valves 31 are adjusted to full open position, rotation ofshaft 8 causes operation of piston 35 in cylinder 29and theV oil in saidcylinder and passage ways simply idly circulates, permitting the clutchmember 27 to remain stationary `or idle. However, when the valves 3l areadjusted to close or partly close the passageways 30, the freecirculation ofthe oil'isprevented and resistance thus provided to thefree reciprocations of the piston 35. This resistance throws a reactionon the clutch member 27 depending upon the extent of the closure of thevalves 31, thus causing the clutch member 27 to rotate. If the. valves31k are completely closed, the piston 35 will be substantially lockedagainst movement and thus the clutch member 27 locked to the shaft 8. Byproperly adjusting the valves 31 the speed of rotation of the clutchmember 27 may be regulated as desired. This arrangement furnishes asimple and effective means for connecting the clutch member 27 with theshaft 8 and also regulating the speed of the clutch member. Power may betransmitted from the clutch member 27 by means of a belt or othersuitable desired means. disclosed, constitutes a very simple andeffective means of connection between a shaft and its correspondingclutch member.

While I haveV illustrated anddescribed the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit oftheinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaim.

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The arrangement Having described my invention What I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The combination With a shaft, of a clutch member loosely mounted on saidshaft; a cylinder carried by said clutch member, there being passagewaysconnecting the opposite ends of said cylinder; Valves in saidpassageways; means including stems carrying rollers and an abutmenttherefor for adjusting the valves; an eccentric secured to said shaftadjacent said cylinder;

an eccentric strap member operating on said eccentric; a pin on saidstrap member; a piston in said cylinder; and a connecting rod connectingsaid pin and said piston, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LESLIE P. GREEN.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. Po'r'rs, FREDA C. APPLETON.

